The Death of Husam Al Hadad

Two days were left before the end of Ramadhan and news went around Bahrain that a 17 year old boy had died. Just moments later, an online video went viral that shows exactly what happened. A group of young boys came out of nowhere throwing numerous petrol bombs at police while patrolling a very busy market. In response and self defense, the police shot back.

Just few days before this incident, I posted a ‘Tweet’ on my Twitter account about another incident I personally faced less than a quarter of a mile away from my home. As I was on my way to work out, I came across 4 or 5 kids, I’d say not older than 10 years old, blocking a neighborhood street with burning tires while standing on the sidewalk, apparently waiting for the police to arrive. My lane was not blocked, so I stopped my car about 20 meters away, rolled down the windows and asked them to leave and go back home. They yelled back and said: “Down, Down Hamad.” So I spoke again and reminded them that they are young and that the police will arrive soon and take them away. This is when they began throwing small rocks at me. They were so weak that those rocks barely had some altitude on them. I rolled up my window and just drove away.

If no adult in their community attempted to fix their mentality, but actually blessed their criminal acts, it will only be few years before they stop waiting for the police to arrive, and do what Husam and his friends did, find and attack the police.

The problem we are currently facing in Bahrain with those 16-19 year old boys is that they’re not old enough to know what they’re doing, but strong enough to physically do what any adult can do. This is dangerous, especially if you’re in the position of a policeman. A hooded, built, and armed with a tool that can literally burn you to death is running towards you while you’re on duty to protect yourself and every shopper around you, what can you do? In Bahrain, and just about every country in the world, you have the utmost right to protect yourself and others. We all know, including the biased so-called ‘opposition’ and Husam’s parents, relatives and friends, that what the police have done was legal and legitimate, but the fact that a 17 year old boy have died remains a concern.

Perhaps you shy away from this reality, but the losers from this tragic act are the government and the winners are the opposition. This is PR 101. When we reach this level of lowness, that the opposition contacts almost every media outlet around the world to inform them of yet another mentally instigated death, someone has to step in. Let’s put two together and attempt to analyze the in-between. A video that shows Husam’s mother and relatives saying goodbye right before his burial is posted online where we can hear them thanking Husam for making them proud and asking God to accept him as a sacrifice from them. His father says: “The awaited Mahdi comes first, and Bahrain comes next!”

In one hand, you have a PR loss by the government, and on the other hand, you have families who consider their deceased kids as sacrifice. Someone in between who is opposing the government with high religious status that can brainwash mothers and fathers is actually doing a great job for himself, and perhaps for others who have historical demands towards this lovely island and region.

The other day I had a small chat with a person that is associated with AlWefaq, one of the opposition groups here in Bahrain. He said that whenever he confronts a child causing havoc on street he cannot stop him from his act because the child poses a question that he cannot answer. He said that the child asks: “What else do I do if this government is not offering me justice, equality, freedom, while the wealth of the nation is only going to an elite group of individuals.” I said, “Are you serious?” He said, “Yes, this is the reality we all live in here in Bahrain.”

I excused myself into getting 1 uninterrupted minute and he agreed, so I said: “You’re in your mid 40s and in an Islamic political party, you should have an immediate answer to a young kid that asks such a simple question. Let’s assume all he says is true, your answer should be reminding him as a growing Muslim that he should never answer a bad act with yet another bad act. As an adult, you should say that Islam never teaches destruction and always teaches construction. Can’t you say that?”

He was left speechless while others surrounding us nodded and agreed. But if these youths don’t have leaders that would simply teach them something along what I have mentioned above, should we stay quiet and watch them being converted from humans to PR tools?

16 replies

Great article Doctor! Just plain logic but do we have the people here to actually understand it. Law is law and breaking the law has consequences, its severity depending on the act itself. Attacking police or endangering people’s lives is severe and hence the sad loss of life. Thank you.

It all boils down to one thing, religious beliefs and its political connections. Bahrain needs sensible Shia religious clerics to work against the brainwashing that the current ones are exercising. Government should subsidise that. Lectures, summer camps and different activities where Shia youth can participate and be taught against all the madness that is going on at the moment while keeping to their logical religious principals and practices. The same should be directed at parents to raise their kids in a better manner with better mental beliefs and concepts. This should be done by their own people, of the same religious sect to enforce trust and belief in genuine support. Bahrain is one of the best countries I have ever lived in. It is a shame to see such wonderful land and people become divided.

First of all . Allah yer7am jamee3 mawtana either they were right or mistaken..

Well doctor i live in a village that i have to face such actions daily, back in ramadan my work used to start early that i leave and streets empty, those people working on the constructions of our new roads sitting aside tiered from getting their blocks and instruments back n place..
Those days i used to get out of my car and removing those block that were built since last night as a wall!!! And when i arrive from work at 2 pm with that heat i want to park my car and again the heavy blocks everywhere and i have to carry them, hurt my back and burn my hands!! On daily bases!!!

When we contacted those kids families to advice them to stop blockage and burning guess what was the answer?
That they talked to them and those kids didnt listen and promised them to burn people houses who ask for stopping these action with their cars!!

Well how can we stop such actions when their own families are afraid to talk or stop them!! We all have rights to fight for and i dont think these actions will get any of them back, in the other hand what we will have is more violence from both sides opposotion and police men.. and will lead to more death and waste of souls..

We reached to a level that the more violence out there the more force and security weapons will be used…

I wish that those hearts wakeup before minds to know that bahrain in the first place was never this way with no rules like a jungle, they burn and the others shoot!! And then comes the real bahrainis who turned into gangsters !! Since when we have these thoughts and since when we are two groups one to shout for bahrainis death and others shout for revenge?!

If they all realize that politics and law are there for certain people and minds not for anyone who thinks he has loud voice then we will be fine…

Thank you Aqeela for your great comment! I don’t live in a village and for you to share your feelings is very unique. We should all read and understand that some of us are going through a lot just being in the midst of this tag of war. I myself don’t think that we should just ignore parents that are very irresponsible in caring about their kids.

Didn’t you ask yourself why those teenagers do this; blocking roads, and protesting.
where are they since 2000 till 2010 why no protesting and blcoking roads all this years.
You are from Al-Khalifa family and away of what people of Bahrain suffer. You live if best life while other families who in your eyes and in AlKhalifa families are only servants and don’t have the right to ask for their rights and what they deserve from this country.
You Al-Khalifa has this high nose who always look at other people as people from grade 3 or 4 compared to you.
Bahrain people are the most educated and have high thinking compared to all other GCC countries. They know what surrounds them.
If your Government gives myself and those teenagers their rights including studying; Housing; Good living environment; Good income from the high income of Oil that most of it goes to the Royal family Al-Khalifa ; and to give me the right to protest which is supported by Bahrain low and to make a fair mechanizm to judge the Government. Then those teenagers proterstors will stop automaticaly. Got me !!!!?

I’m sorry Mr. Anonymous but I don’t get you. Whether what you’re saying is right, that my nose is high and I treat you as grade 3 or grade 4 citizen, there is never an excuse to attempt to murder policemen on patrol in a market full of citizens.

The evil that is represented by the Wefaqis is absolute. We should not negotiate, accomodate or even seek half hearted solutions to this poison. The government of Bahrain is on the right track and is smacking down with an Iron fist, but that fist needs to be a sledge hammer and the backs of the Iranian sponsored critters must be broken. Prison is the best form of reform for these stupid youngsters and if an investment into prison infrastrcture is necessary to expand our housing capacities we should not hesitate to spend this money. Hear me, and hear me well Bahrain, we should not waste time nor effort to try and reform the unreformable or try to negotiate with mentalities that are unapproachable. This type of crap has been witnessed before in Lebanon, Iraq and today Syria. Those that live to serve their Mahdi and paymasters in Iran first, will make this an exercise in futility. Therefore, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. The solution to this evil is heightened security, good intelligence and anti-terror operations. Our response to these scumbags should be no different to the US response to 9/11. In fact, Feb 14 was our 9/11.

“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing”

Dear Dr – i think for your next article you should write about the Bahraini govts budget and expenditure. Some people think that all that oil money is going to the Khalifa’s and they are not getting anything. They fail to see the money spent on infrastructure, education, health, food subsidies, etc. people in the GCC do not pay taxes and yet get a lot in return they should consider themselves lucky. Look at the tax paying countries and see what is happening to their economies. We need to thank our governments that we are not stuck in the same situation/ trap.

As always good write up as always . I am sure Bahrain have more people like you who can make differences but it seem’s they just want to be behind the curtain . Mr. Anonymous is one of those innocent individual who been brain washed by Ali Salman and others . This what exactly happened in Iran during 1979 , young people and now young people or most of the people in Iran hate current regime . Yes we need a change but not with Ali salman or others we need our young people to come out from behind the curtain before it is too late .

Dr, what you say is right. But what do we people stuck between this cat and mouse game between the government and opposition do? Our lives have been made hell.
The govt seems unwilling to put a solution to the problem and is prolonging it for fear of the international community. All those countries who have raised their fingers on Bahrain have in their past carried out witch hunts against groups they saw as a threat to their respective societies. Why can’t Bahrain be stern then?
To hell with the international community when my own home is burning. I have to say my home first in order to think about the rest.
You said the directionless youth of the opposition (who I will call thugs) have no leadership. Well let me correct you there. It’s very much a leadership that is directing them on the streets.
I am sure you will agree that the Sunni voice can’t be suppressed for long if this bullying by the opposition continues. We all know that this is heading to a dangerous end even if we sweet talk others out of it.
I pray God gives the leadership the strength and insight to deal with this menace.

Thank you for your comment Omer. I’ve seen a recent video where Sunni citizens have been targeted by Shia youth through petrol bombs. I know they are only a minority but we have to work to stop this immediately as you say.